MELATI PUTIH Wiji Astuti (Indonesia) Rodrigo Parejo (The Netherlands/Spain) Iswanto (Indonesia) Suryadi "Plenthe" Nugroho (Indonesia)
vocals flutes, voice, compositions gender and other gamelan instruments kendhang, percussions
guest: Rianto (Indonesia/Japan)
traditional and contemporary dance, choreography
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"Melati Putih is a sacred flower in Indonesian tradition which can produce such a sweet fragrance. It is a small and simple flower, and it symbolizes purity, sacredness, graceful simplicity, sincerity and modesty. It is the most important flower in wedding ceremonies for ethnic Indonesians, especially in the island of Java". The group MELATI PUTIH brings some of the particular traditional sounds of the javanese music from Indonesia in the form of contemporary compositions shaped by some other musical and cultural elements from the island of Java, such as islamic sounds, meditative buddhist mantras, and other spiritual and field sounds. The music is not only inspired on the symbology that this flower represents, but also on the beauty, grace, sensibility, tranquility and softness of some of the styles of the javanese gamelan music and dance, considering as well some other strong rhythms and sounds from the Indonesian music. MELATI PUTIH is created by the spanish jazz musician based in The Netherlands, Rodrigo Parejo, who after several trips and residencies in Indonesia, studying and researching about indonesian music and culture, created this project together with the very talented indonesian musicians: Wiji Astuti, Suryadi Nugroho “Plenthe” and Iswanto Mento Martono, who during the years earned a big experience performing with some of the greatest Indonesian Masters all around the world. For the performances in 2015, Melatih Putih will invite to join this project to the extraordinary Japan-based indonesian dancer and choreographer Rianto, young master of the traditional (lengger and Javanese) and contemporary dance, having a very intense long career performing and creating choreographies internationally around worlds of traditional and contemporary dance.
"Let the beauty and aromatic fragance of Java travel with the winds coming from the East”. ------------------
MEMBERS: RODRIGO PAREJO (flutes, voice, compositions) Spanish musician based in The Netherlands, who have enriched his musicality by studying different music traditions from different cultures around the world. He has travelled, studied and performed in South-east Asia, US, Canada, and a big part of Europe. He often works in the fields of Jazz, World Music (Flamenco, Brazilian, Latin,...) and Contemporary/Experimental music; although in general Improvisation and Music as a universal language is his main interest, having performed with many different musicians, dancers, painters, poets,...from different places, cultures and social backgrounds, like: Phil Woods, Norma Winstone, Alex Sipiagin, Yuri Honing, Eric Vloeimans, Saray Muñoz Barrul, Lazara Lopez Cachao, London Improvisers Orchestra, Han Bennink, The Hague Ethospheric Orchestra, Suprapto,... He holds a Master Degree in Jazz Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague (The Netherlands) with positive critics.
WIJI ASTUTI (vocals) She is an active singer in Central Java, having performed in many different festivals and events in Indonesia, singing traditional and contemporary javanese music as well religious music. She is also graduated in the javanese music performance program from the Institute Seni Indonesia (ISI Surakarta), currently finishing a Master program in the same institution. Her beautiful warm voice goes between the traditional javanese music from Central Java, to the Muslim chants, including many other tastes as colours of the sundanese music and other sounds from the island of Java.
ISWANTO (gender, gamelan) He is a 30 years old talented gamelan musician from Indonesia born in West Java 30 years ago. He has worked internationally with some of the biggest personalities of Indonesian music in projects like: “Mahakarya Borobudur” with Indonesian Art Institute of Surakarta (Magelang 2005, 2009 & 2010), “Ramayana Under The Stars” with Midiyanto (Singapore 2010), “Festival Gamelan” with Rahayu Supanggah/Garasi Seni Benawa (Malaysia 2010), “Opera Jawa: Tusuk Konde” with Rahayu Supanggah (Amsterdam 2010 & Paris 2011), “The Mask Majestic” with Rahayu Supanggah (Singapore 2012), “HIFA” with Peni Candrarini (Zimbabwe 2011), “Ontosoroh” with Peni Candrarini (Adelaide 2013, Brisbane 2014, Canada 2014), etc. Currently is completing a thesis on Indonesian Art Institute (ISI Surakarta).
SURYADI NUGROHO "PLENTHE" (kendhang, percussions) Young master of the Indonesian percussion instrument "kendhang sunda". Self-taught musician discovered by the Indonesian music legend artist Didi Kempot (famous for combining two of the most popular music styles in Indonesia: Keroncong and Dangdut music) with who worked for 10 years performing all around Indonesia and abroad. Afterwards he developped his own music direction becoming interested on many other ethnic percussions styles from the world, having performed in The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Australia, Suriname, Africa, Canada, Australia,etc...with some important artists from Indonesia as Peni Candra, Endah Laras, etc... Despite having no formal music training, he became sometimes lecturer at Institute Seni Indonesia (ISI Surakarta). He also works producing, recording and arranging contemporary (pop and traditional) Indonesian music combining traditional and modern instruments.
Guest artist: RIANTO (dance, choreography)
Rianto is a dancer, choreographer and director of the Dewandaru Dance Company of Tokyo, for Indonesian Friendship Culture between Indonesia and Japan. He lives currently in Tokyo, although he is originally from the region of Banyumas in Java Island. He is a master of the traditional dance of Banyumas called "Lengger" as well he learned the Javanese traditional dances of Gagah and Alus under Mr. Daryono and the court dance in Istana Mangkunegaran. He graduated from the Academy of Dance from the Institute of Arts of Indonesia in Surakarta (ISI Solo) in 2004. Since then, he has worked in many projects and choreagraphies in many countries around the world with different companies or even presenting his own works. Some important performances were with Orange Blossom Dance Company in Boston (USA) in 2006, English National Opera (London, 2007), own projects in Taiwan, Indonesian Festival 2008, Singapore, India, Austria, The Netherlands, Korea,... In 2009, Rianto was invited by the Indonesian Embassy and Santi Budaya LCCD, to choreograph and dance in the reception of the inaugural ceremony of US President-elect Barack Obama in Washington, D.C.
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/rodrigo-parejo/sets/melatiputih
FULL BIOGRAPHIES: RODRIGO PAREJO (flute player, improviser, composer and educator) Born in Extremadura (Spain) in 1981, always with a big curiosity and interest in understanding other music genres and cultures, to expand his musicality, knowledge and philosophy within the musical, artistic and humanship. His main interest is on Improvisation (jazz, contemporary, noise, ambient,...), world music (Flamenco, latin, indonesian music, arabic music,...), experimental,... Graduated with honors from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague (Netherlands), where also obtained a Masters Degree in "Jazz Performance" with good critics. Also received musical education* at the "Banff Center of Arts" (Canada), "School for Improvisation (SIM)" (Oslo and New York), "Institute Seni Indonesia", etc.with music masters like John Ruocco, Dave Douglas, Ralph Alessi, Hein van de Gein,... The Music as a universal language, has led him to learn and collaborate** with a wide variety of musicians and artists in the fields of improvised music, jazz, world music, experimental, classic and contemporary music in Southeast Asia, Canada, US and a big part of Europe.
**Performed in groups or projects with: Phil Woods, Jim McNeely, John Ruocco, Bobby Martinez, Maggie Nichols, Norma Winstone, Alex Sipiagin, Jodi Gilbert, Diego Mune, Michael Moore, Wilbert de Joode, Michael Vatcher, Neil Metcalfe, Eric Vloeimans, London Improvisers Orchestra, Augusto Pirodda, Michal Vanoucek, As guests quartet, Brice Soniano, Saray Muñoz Barrul, Israel Cerreduela, Neel de Jong, Jacques Demierre, Christy Doran, Jesse van Ruller, Han Bennink, Tristan Honsinger, Pepe Rivero, Anton Goudsmit, Yuri Honing, Michiel Borstlap, Lazara Lopez Cachao, Phil Minton, Butch Morris, Henk Meugeert, Mike Manieri, Steve Beresford, Pak Suprapto, Stef van Es, Tato de Moraes, Guillermo Celano, Nicole Mitchell, Ivar Grydeland, Royal Improvisers (RIO), Orchestra, Gerardo Rosales,... **Performed in: Spain, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Norway, Portugal, Belgium, Canada, US (New York), UK (London), Cambodia, Indonesia, France (Paris),... in places like North Sea Jazz Festival (NL), Bimhuis (NL), Bratislava Jazz Days (SK), Festival Flamenco Vienna (Austria), Jazzycolors Festival (Paris), Steve Reich Festival (NL), Margaret Greenham Theatre (Canada), National Austrian Radio and TV (ORF), Spanish Radio (RNE-5), Portuguese TV (RTP2), Czech Radio (CRO), Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene (Oslo), Theater Odeon (Vienna), Dag in de Branding (Holland), het Nuthuis (NL),... *Reived music education studying with masters like John Ruocco, Hein van de Gein, Dave Douglas, Ralph Alessi, Joshua Redman, Ben Street, Tony Malaby, Jen Shyu, Bobby Martinez,... Rodrigo has given workshops and masterclasses of Improvisation in Spain, Czech Rep., Cambodia, Indonesia and The Netherlands. During the years he has been supported and granted by different organizations as Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds*, Banff Center for Arts, Junta de Extremadura, Ministery of Culture of Indonesia..
WIJI ASTUTI (vocals) She is an active singer in Central Java, having performed in many different festivals and events in Indonesia, singing traditional and contemporary javanese music as well religious music. She is also graduated in the javanese music performance program from the Institute Seni Indonesia (ISI Surakarta), currently finishing a Master program in the same institution. Her beautiful warm voice goes between the traditional javanese music from Central Java, to the Muslim chants, including many other tastes as colours of the sundanese music and other sounds from the island of Java.
ISWANTO (gamelan musician) Born in Indramayu, West Java 30 years ago, is currently completing a thesis on Indonesian Art Institute of Surakarta. Once as a musician in the : “Mahakarya Borobudur” with Indonesian Art Institute of Surakarta in Magelang (2005, 2009 & 2010), “Ramayana Under The Stars” with Midiyanto in Singapore 2010, “Festival Gamelan” with Rahayu Supanggah/Garasi Seni Benawa in Malaysia 2010, “Opera Jawa: Tusuk Konde” with Rahayu Supanggah in Amsterdam 2010 & Paris 2011, “The Mask Majestic” with Rahayu Supanggah in Singapore 2012, “HIFA” with Peni Candrarini in Zimbabwe 2011, “Ontosoroh” with Peni Candrarini in Adelaide 2013 & Brisbane 2014.
SURYADI NUGROHO “PLENTHE” (kendhang player, percussionist, recordings ingeneer, music producer) Suryadi Nugroho atau lebih dikenal dengan nama “Plenthe” adalah seorang pemain perkusi dan komposer. Terlahir di Surakarta pada tanggal 27 Oktober 1982, putra dari Djarno Mulyono dan Mulyani. Ayahnya adalah seorang designer batik di salah satu pabrik di Surakarta. Berawal dari usia 6 tahun, Plenthe menyukai semua yang berhubungan dengan bunyi. Dan kebetulan tidak jauh dari rumahnya terdapat pengrajin kendang. Sejak saat itu Plenthe tertarik dengan alat pukul dari Jawa Barat yang dikenal dengan nama Kendang Sunda. Meski terlahir dari keluarga bukan musisi, Plenthe terus mengembangkan keterampilan bermusiknya secara otodidak. Upaya ini berbuah manis, menginjak usia 13 tahun, Plenthe terlibat rekaman album perdana Didi Kempot berjudul Stasiun Balapan. Bersama kelompok Campursari tersebut, Plenthe mencecap manisnya karir di industri musik, termasuk tampil di luar negeri seperti Hongkong dan Suriname. Kecintaannya pada bunyi terwujud dalam proyek musik bernama Plenthe Percussion. Plenthe memainkan sendiri 13 buah kendang dan alat perkusi lain seperti simbal, darbuka, serta konga. Hingga kini Plenthe Percussion telah menghasilkan tiga album rekaman yaitu The Soul of Membrance, Caturan dan Transethnic. Masing-masing terjual lebih dari 1500 keping, suatu angka yang cukup menggembirakan mengingat minimnya perhatian masyarakat umum terhadap musik kontemporer. Melalui eksplorasi atas kemungkinan bunyi yang dihasilkan oleh kendang, membuat Plenthe dikenal oleh publik sebagai penggagas talking percussion. Alat perkusi yang semula hanya berfungsi sebagai pengiring dalam suatu permainan, oleh Plenthe dimainkan sedemikian rupa sehingga menghasilkan beragam bunyi yang apik. Pengalaman di panggung internasional bertambah ketika Plenthe tampil di Harare Internasional Festival of the Arts (HIFA) pada Mei 2012. HIFA, yang diselenggarakan setiap tahun di Zimbabwe, merupakan festival seni internasional terbesar di Afrika. Plenthe ikut serta dalam Ontosoroh, sebuah pertunjukan musik dan tari oleh Ade Suharto dan Peni Candra Rini. Karya adaptasi dari novel Bumi Manusia karangan Pramoedya Ananto Toer ini ditampilkan di beberapa kota seperti Solo dan Denpasar, serta festival internasional OZAsia, WOMAdelaide Australia, IPAM, dan pada November 2014 di Canada. Disamping itu Plenthe juga pernah berkolaborasi dengan Jubing Kristianto seorang pemain gitar akustik terbaik Indonesia. Di tahun 2014, Plenthe juga berkolaborasi dengan Endah Laras seorang salah satu penyanyi keroncong terbaik Indonesia dalam event “Solo City Jazz dan Indahnya Dunia Endah”. Selain itu Plenthe juga mengaransemen album Megan seorang Sinden dari Los Angeles. Plenthe juga sedang terlibat pembuatan karya dengan Rodrigo Parejo Mateos, seorang pemain latin jazz ethnic kontemporer yang rencana akan dibawakan di Eropa. Di pertengahan tahun 2014, Plenthe mencoba membuat karya Film dokumenter berjudul “Pager Desa” dan di pagelarkan secara apik tanpa mengurangi budaya-budaya yang ada ditempat. Dalam bermusik, Plenthe mempunyai misi tersendri. Yaitu sebagai musisi dengan media bunyi atau musik menjadikan isi alam semesta menari, bernyanyi, damai, nyaman dan tentram tanpa ada suatu perpecahan. Dan ingin mengembalikan kebudayaan Indonesia yang selama ini hilang tergerus oleh perkembangan zaman.
Guest artist (full biography)
RIANTO (Director,dancer,choreographer of Dewandaru Dance Company) Rianto mastered the traditional dance of Banyumas called “Lengger” while studying at SMKI (Sekolah Menengah Karawitan Indonesia from 1997-2000). He learned the Javanese traditional dances of Gagah and Alus under Mr. Daryono and the court dance in Istana Mangkunegaran. He graduated from the Academy of Dance of STSI (ISI: Institut Seni Indonesia) Surakarta (Solo) in 2004. In 2005-2007,Rianto was a member of TBS Dance Theatre Studio in Solo and participated in the works of Korean choreographer Sen Hea Ha in Ujiengbou,Seoul, Singapore, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria.He has mamber of Orange Blossom Dance Company and performed monteverdi's of Orfeo in Schubert Theatre in Boston-USA (2006) and The Coronation Of Poppea in London Coliseum (2007) with English National Opera. He received an Arts Network Asia grant to present his own choreographic works “Pintu Amaterasu” at Young Choreographer Project 2007 in kaoshiung-Taiwan, and his works continue performed at Cak durasim Festival-Surabaya,Contemporary Dance Market(PASTACOM 2008) Riau-Sumatra,and Emerging Choreographer at Indonesian Dance Festival 2008 with his work “Rousoku”. He was also one of delegate Indonesian choreographers at World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific in Singapore in 2007 with his works “Rousoku”. In February 2009, Rianto was invited by the Indonesian Embassy and Santi Budaya LCCD,to choreograph and dance in the reception of the inaugural ceremony of US President-elect Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. Rianto has also appeared as a guest artist in Gulliver & Swift and Garibaba stange's World by Japanese dance company Pappa TARAHUMARA in Tokyo,Kyoto and Indonesia.Rianto was invited by Nottle Theatre Company,Korea and in Recidence for a month with his work “ Yakuza moon” in october 2009. He has choreographed “Hallucination” (TPAM Showcase 2010) and multicultural work “Pintu Amaterasu” (KLPAC-Malaysia 2010).He was collaboration with Keiko Nakano at works “yumme” in Tokyo metropolitan theatre. He has work at Trans Studio Bandung (Indonesian Thempark)in April-june 2010 as Choreographer for “ legend of the Princes”(Legenda Putra Mahkota),the new of contemporary dance works based on traditional javanese puppet of his works is “Shadowing the Body”, performed at Lanjong Arts Festival-Kalimantan Timur,Male Matters and Fourth Nartaka Dance Festival (2010),Dhauli kalingga mahotsav 2011-Orissa, India (December 2011).The first of January 2012 he also performed a work “ Victims of the full moon” at Srawung Seni Candi in Sukuh Tample,central java. He is currently the Director of the Dewandaru Dance Company of Tokyo,for Indoesian Friendship Culture between Indonesia and Japan
CONTACT: Rodrigo Parejo Mateos. Copernicusstraat 76, 2561XB The Hague (The Netherlands) +31 (0) 630 45 32 34
[email protected] www.rodrigoparejo.weebly.com www.facebook.com/rodrigoparejomateos Skype: rodrigo.parejo
